As of Nov. 28, the sixth week of the 2000 Cornell United Way Campaign, organizers report that $316,211.85 has been pledged so far by Cornell faculty and staff, or 59.6 percent of the goal. With the campaign fully under way, Cornell campaign organizers want to be sure that everyone understands their pledge options and that United Way of Tompkins County provides four ways to donate to support United Way efforts:
Each of these operates separately. The main fund, the Community Fund, is the source of contributions that are distributed by the United Way Allocations Council, according to the annual formula developed by that group in collaboration with the United Way board of directors. The Allocations Council is composed of volunteers who represent all facets of the community.
The information below illustrates how each mechanism works to support the United Way as our community's commitment to ". . . increase our capacity to care for one another":
Donation to the Community Fund: All money donated to this pool is allocated by community volunteers to the 29 member agencies and the 10 community councils. To make a donation to the community fund (located in the second section of the donation card), mark the Community Fund box and note the donation amount.
Example: Mrs. Tompkins makes a $100 donation to the 2000 United Way Campaign. If Mrs. Tompkins designates all of her donation to the community fund, her money will be divided among the 29 member agencies and the 10 community councils. From here, allocation decisions are made by a review panel composed of volunteers who represent all facets of the county.
Positive designation: Donors may select a particular agency or agencies to receive their donations. To make a positive designation, please check the first box in the Community Fund section. Donors also may choose whether or not they would like to be acknowledged for this donation. Mark the last box in this section if you would like an acknowledgment from the organization receiving your gift.
Example: If Mrs. Tompkins chooses an agency or community council to receive her $100 donation, her contribution will be forwarded to that organization. She also may choose to split her designation among multiple organizations. Mrs. Tompkins may select any United Way member agency, community council, or nonprofit organization to receive her funds.
Negative designation: Donors may select an agency or agencies that they would prefer not receive their donation. Money from a negative designation donation is treated as a positive donation for the remaining 28 member agencies and the 10 community councils. To make a negative designation, check the "please exclude my gift from" box and name the agency or community council.
Example: If Mrs. Tompkins would like to exclude an agency or community council from her designation, she can note this on the campaign card and the $100 would be distributed among the remaining 28 member agencies and 10 community councils. Mrs. Tompkins may exclude as many agencies as she likes from her designation.
Split designation: Donors may split their designation between a specific agency or agencies and the Community Fund. To make a split designation, mark the Community Fund box and note the donation amount. Then, mark the specific agency box and include the name of the agency and the donation amount. Mark the last box in this section if you would like an acknowledgement from the organization receiving your gift.
Example: If Mrs. Tompkins decides to divide her donation between the community fund and a specific agency or community council, then $50 of her donation goes to the Community Fund and $50 goes to the noted agency or community council.
If you have questions or concerns about your donation, feel free to contact the United Way of Tompkins County at 272-6286 or visit the web site http://www.uwtc.org.
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